Apple's New Patent HeartID for Device Unlocking

TapTechNews July 31st news, after TouchID fingerprint unlock and FaceID facial unlock, Apple's latest patent explores HeartID, by detecting and verifying the user's heart rate data to unlock iPhone and other devices.

Apple stated in the patent that electronic devices usually store personal and confidential information, including contacts, emails, call records, etc., and there may be a situation where multiple users share one device.

Apple believes in the patent that in addition to the regular biometric authentication methods, the user's identity can also be verified according to the user's heart rate attributes. For example, the device can process the duration of a specific part of the user's heart rhythm or the relative size of the peaks of the user's electrocardiogram (EKG) and compare it with the stored profile to verify the identity of the device user.

TapTechNews attaches the following part of the abstract of Apple's patent:

A patent relates to an electronic device having an integrated sensor for detecting the user's heart activity and electrocardiogram signal.

The electronic device may include a heart sensor having multiple wires for detecting the user's heart signal.

The wires can be connected to the inner surface of the electronic device housing to hide the sensor so that the electrical signal generated by the user can be transmitted from the user's skin through the housing of the electronic device to the wires.

In some embodiments, the wires can be connected to a pad placed outside the housing. The pad and the housing can be processed to ensure that the pad cannot be distinguished visually or tactilely on the device, thereby enhancing the aesthetics of the device.

Using the detected signal, the electronic device can identify or verify the user's identity and perform operations according to the user's identity.